Ohio Administrative Code
Title 4717 - Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors
Chapter 4717-5 - Masters and Apprentices
Section 4717-5-01 - Apprenticeship

(1) The applicant for an embalmer apprenticeship shall apply to the board on a form provided by the board for certification, together with the applicable fee prior to starting an apprenticeship.

(2) The applicant shall provide an official college transcript, showing that the applicant has earned a bachelor's degree from a college or university authorized to confer degrees by the Ohio board of regents or comparable agency of another state in which the college or university is located, and an official college of mortuary science transcript, showing that the applicant has completed at least twelve months of instruction at an accredited mortuary program in a prescribed course of instruction approved by the board.

(3) The applicant for certification shall provide and bear the cost of a criminal records check in accordance with section 4776.01 of the Revised Code at the time of the application. The applicant shall establish that the individual has not been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or had a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment in lieu of conviction for any offense set forth in section 4717.05 or division (A)(2) of section 4717.14 of the Revised Code, or that at least five years has elapsed since the applicant was released from incarceration, a community control sanction, a post-release control sanction, parole, or treatment in connection with such offense.

(4) Upon approval of the application for certification, the board shall issue an embalmer apprentice a card and wall display certifying the apprenticeship. The wall display shall bear the start date and termination date of the apprenticeship. The card shall bear the expiration date of the apprenticeship and shall be carried by the embalmer apprentice at all times while engaged as an embalmer apprentice.

(1) The apprentice shall satisfactorily complete not less than twelve months of apprenticeship under the direction of an embalmer. The apprenticeship shall be completed in no more than eighteen months from the start date of the apprenticeship unless the apprenticeship is terminated as outlined in paragraph (D)(2) of this rule. During the apprenticeship, the apprentice must personally assist in the arterial embalming of at least twenty-five dead human bodies under the direct supervision of the master embalmer, and must complete the tasks listed on the "Embalmer Task List." If the board finds that the apprentice did not adequately complete one or more tasks on the "Embalmer Task List" or did not receive the necessary training during their apprenticeship, the board may set out remedial steps for the apprentice to undertake in order to complete the apprenticeship.

(2) During the apprenticeship, the apprentice shall file with the board quarterly case reports upon forms provided by the board. Failure to comply with this requirement shall be grounds for the board to suspend or void any credit time earned by the apprentice.

(3) The apprentice shall report to any licensed board member within thirty days after the first six months of apprenticeship credit time for a personal interview. The apprentice shall report to any licensed board member annually thereafter during any period of apprenticeship, if applicable.

(4) During the apprenticeship, the master embalmer under whom the apprentice is certified shall file quarterly master embalmer's reports with the board on the apprentice's activities, including fulfillment of the tasks listed on the "Embalmer Task List."

(1) The master embalmer shall ensure that the apprenticeship training encompasses all facets of embalming services, including but not limited to:

(1) Upon completion of the apprenticeship, the apprentice shall submit the following:

(2) In the event the apprenticeship is interrupted prior to the completion of the apprenticeship, the master and apprentice shall immediately notify the board of the interruption, and submit the embalmer's termination of apprenticeship form, the embalmer's apprenticeship card, and wall display. Failure to submit the embalmer termination of apprenticeship form upon interruption of an apprenticeship prior to its completion shall be grounds for the board to void any credit time earned by the apprentice.

(3) An apprentice who cannot serve any portion of time during an apprenticeship due to disability leave, maternity leave, military leave, or any other board approved leave, shall terminate the apprenticeship during such leave and shall so notify the board in writing within ten days after the termination. The apprentice shall re-certify the apprenticeship upon completion of the leave period by submitting the appropriate forms to the board.

(1) An apprentice who has at least six months remaining in the period of apprenticeship that has successfully completed an interview with a member of the board is eligible to take the Ohio laws and rules exam and the required nationally recognized comprehensive exam. Eligibility is at the discretion of the interviewing board member and conditional upon their approval. Earning a passing score on the Ohio laws and rules exam and the required nationally recognized comprehensive exam does not discharge the remainder of the apprenticeship. The apprentice shall successfully complete all of the apprenticeship program requirements through termination in order to be eligible to apply for a funeral director or embalmer license.

(2) The applicant for an embalmer license shall provide proof of earning a seventy-five percent or higher on each section of a nationally-recognized comprehensive examination.

(3) The applicant for an embalmer license shall provide proof of earning a seventy-five percent or higher on the Ohio laws and rules examination.

(4) Upon earning a passing score of seventy-five percent or higher on each section of a nationally-recognized comprehensive examination and the Ohio laws and rules examination, the applicant may submit to the board an application for an embalmer license in a manner consistent with section 4717.05 of the Revised Code and Chapter 4717-05 of the Administrative Code.

(1) The applicant for a funeral director apprenticeship shall apply to the board on a form provided by the board for certification, together with the applicable fee prior starting an apprenticeship.

(2) The applicant shall provide an official college transcript, showing that the applicant has earned a bachelor's degree from a college or university authorized to confer degrees by the Ohio board of regents or comparable agency of another state in which the college or university is located.

(3) The applicant for certification shall provide and bear the cost of a criminal records check in accordance with section 4776.01 of the Revised Code at the time of application. The applicant shall establish that the individual has not been convicted of, pleaded guilty to, or had a judicial finding of eligibility for treatment in lieu of conviction for any offense set forth in section 4717.05 or division (A)(2) of section 4717.14 of the Revised Code of the Revised Code, or that at least five years has elapsed since the applicant was released from incarceration, a community control sanction, a post-release control sanction, parole, or treatment in connection with such offense.

(4) Upon approval of the application for certification, the board shall issue a funeral director apprentices a card and wall display certifying the apprenticeship. The wall display shall bear the start date and termination date of the apprenticeship. The card shall bear the expiration date of the apprenticeship and shall be carried by the apprentice at all times while acting as a funeral director apprentice.

(1) The apprentice who is seeking to complete an embalmer apprenticeship during the funeral director apprenticeship shall satisfactorily complete not less than twelve months of an apprenticeship under the direction of a master funeral director and master embalmer. The apprenticeship shall be completed in no more than eighteen months from the start date of the apprenticeship unless the apprenticeship is terminated as outlined in paragraph (I)(2) of this rule. During the apprenticeship, the apprentice must personally assist in at least twenty-five funerals or memorials under the direct supervision of the master funeral director, and must complete the tasks listed on the "Funeral Director Task List." Additionally, the apprentice must personally assist in the arterial embalming of at least twenty-five dead human bodies under the direct supervision of the master embalmer, and must complete the tasks listed on the "Embalmer Task List." If the board finds that the apprentice did not adequately complete one or more tasks on either "Task List" or did not receive the necessary training during their apprenticeship, the board may set out remedial steps for the apprentice to undertake in order to complete the apprenticeship.

(2) The apprentice who is seeking to complete only a funeral director apprenticeship shall satisfactorily complete not less than twenty-four months of apprenticeship under the direction of a master funeral director. The apprenticeship shall be completed in no more than forty-eight months from the start date of the apprenticeship unless the apprenticeship is terminated as outlined in paragraph (I)(2) of this rule. During the apprenticeship, the apprentice must personally assist in at least fifty funerals under the direct supervision of the master funeral director, and must complete the tasks listed on the "Funeral Director Task List." If the board finds that the apprentice did not adequately complete one or more tasks on either "Task List" or did not receive the necessary training during their apprenticeship, the board may set out remedial steps for the apprentice to undertake in order to complete the apprenticeship.

(1) The master funeral director shall ensure that the apprenticeship training encompasses all facets of funeral directing services, including but not limited to:

(1) Upon completion of the apprenticeship, the apprentice shall submit the following:

(2) In the event the apprenticeship is interrupted prior to the completion of the apprenticeship, the master and apprentice shall immediately notify the board of the interruption, and submit the funeral director termination of apprenticeship form, the apprenticeship card, and wall display. Failure to submit the funeral director termination of apprenticeship form upon interruption of an apprenticeship prior to the completion of such apprenticeship shall be grounds for the board to void any credit time earned by the apprentice.

(3) An apprentice who cannot serve any portion of time during an apprenticeship due to disability leave, maternity leave, military leave, or any other board approved leave, shall terminate the apprenticeship during such leave and shall so notify the board in writing within ten days after the termination. The apprentice shall re-certify the apprenticeship upon completion of the leave period by submitting the appropriate forms to the board.

(1) An apprentice who has at least six months remaining in the period of apprenticeship that has successfully completed an interview with a member of the board is eligible to take the Ohio laws and rules exam and the required nationally recognized comprehensive exam. Eligibility is at the discretion of the interviewing board member and conditional upon their approval. Earning a passing score on the Ohio laws and rules exam and the required nationally recognized comprehensive exam does not discharge the remainder of the apprenticeship. The apprentice shall successfully complete all of the apprenticeship program requirements through termination in order to be eligible to apply for a funeral director or embalmer license.

(2) The applicant for a funeral director license shall provide proof of earning a seventy-five percent or higher on each section of a nationally-recognized comprehensive examination.

(3) The applicant for a funeral director license shall provide proof of earning a seventy-five percent or higher on the Ohio laws and rules examination.

(4) Upon earning a passing score of seventy-five percent or higher on each section of a nationally-recognized comprehensive examination and the Ohio laws and rules examination, the applicant may submit to the board an application for a funeral director license in a manner consistent with section 4717.05 of the Revised Code and Chapter 4717-05 of the Administrative Code.

(1) Upon completion of the apprenticeship, an individual may continue to serve in the same capacity as an apprentice under the supervision of a funeral director or embalmer for no more than ninety days to allow the apprentice to sit for the required examination, or until the apprentice receives his or her grade from the examination, whichever occurs first.

(1) If after inactivity for a five-year period where an apprenticeship is interrupted prior to the completion or if the individual fails to advance to full licensure, the individual forfeits any apprenticeship credit earned and the records shall be destroyed according to the board's record retention schedule.